2008 THUNDERCAR RULES
(CLICK HERE to download rules in "MS Word" Format)

 

 

This is a novice class running for a trophy only. No cash prizes will be awarded!!!!

 

A. This class is a low cost division that is designed to enable anyone to compete. It is for stock automobiles and stock trucks only. Rules are established to keep the cost of the cars down and affordable while making the vehicles as safe as possible.

 

B. This is an amateur division. Former racers that have won a feature are not permitted to compete.

 

C. Drivers under the age of 18 must have a minor release form filled out each night before entering the pit area. Minor release forms are available at the pit sign-in booth and must be signed by a parent or legal guardian as well as the minor participant.

 

D. These rules are a framework for this division, therefore, they are basic. New rules may be added as the need arises.

 

BODY:  The class is open to any American made car from 1970-1990 or truck of any age. Car/truck must be neat in appearance and paint scheme must be appealing. Primer cars or bad paint schemes combinations will not be permitted. Front outer fender openings may be cut for tire clearance if needed all edges must be straight cut or rolled under. All body panels fenders, doors and quarter panels must be stock OEM sheet metal ONLY. No homemade or after market body panels permitted. This is up to the track official’s discretion.

 

E. No jeeps, station wagons, sport cars, muscle cars, police cars, GM leaf spring cars or front-wheel drive cars permitted.

 

F. The minimum wheel base is 108".

 

FRAME: Must be stock. No GM uni-body construction cars permitted. Chrysler and Ford uni-body construction cars are permitted providing front and rear stubs are tied together. No metal panels may be cut out, except the specification for the trunk floor. Doors should be gutted. Cars must have a full floor and trunk; however, the trunk must have a safety modification done around the fuel bladder and container. See the fuel cell section (rule 28) for the specifics. Cars must have all holes filled in the firewall. Front wheel housing must be removed. Doors must be welded shut. No external fender flares. Rear inner fender liners must remain in car.

 

INTERIOR: The car must be completely gutted of all upholstery, including the back seat. Metal racing seat is required. No plastic, fiberglass, or original front seat(s) permitted. The seat must be securely welded to the roll cage and/or frame. Maximum seat set back will be 80” from center of front spring bucket to back of seat. No bench style seats are permitted. Absolutely no floorboard mounted seats.

 

HOOD & TRUNK: Cannot be altered in any manner from its original design. They must each contain the original style full metal panels. No vents or scoops. Both the hood and trunk must be able to be opened easily. Latches may be removed and hood pins installed. No spoilers permitted.

 

 

BUMPERS & NOSES: No OEM factory hard plastic fiberglass noses permitted. May be replaced with sheet metal or aftermarket stock appearing soft plastic nose or tail pieces. Cars must have stock OEM bumper for make and model of car used. Cars with optional soft nose and tail pieces must have OEM bumpers under plastic nose and tail piece. Bumper ends must be rolled in and have no sharp or protruding ends. Bumper cannot be reinforced in any manner except for shock bumpers may be drained of fluid and welded in stock location. No homemade bumpers of any kind. Each car must have a tow hook on the front and rear.

 

SHOCKS: Shocks must remain stock and in their stock location. No extra shocks, air shocks, or aluminum shocks permitted. Steel ONLY. Stock mounts ONLY. No hyme end style shocks permitted.

 

LIGHTS: Lenses must be removed and the holes filled.

 

CHROME: All chrome trim and/or accent pieces must be removed.

 

WINDSHIELDS: All glass must be removed. Cars must have three vertical bars that protect the driver from a tire entering the front window opening. Full window screen and driver side window net are mandatory.

 

ROLL CAGE: NO OFFSET CAGES, the front down tubes must be no further than 20” back of the front body mount and must extend to the front of the top roll cage. Must be minimum of 6-point with a minimum of 4 bars per door. Door bars must arch outward to door skin. 3" wide racing seat belts must be attached to the roll cage (high and low) with 2 bars from the top of the cage to the center of the rear end area attached to the frame. The 4 down posts of the main cage must be welded to the frame rails. Front and rear hoop permitted.  It is mandatory that you use a minimum of 1 3/4" O.D. seamless pipe with a minimum wall thickness of .095. All intersections of the pipe joints should be welded completely around and gusseted. The driver area must be padded and have a head rest. Roll cage must extend above the drivers head. Driver's side door must have a 1/8" thick steel plate welded to the bars from the top bar down to the frame.

 

SUSPENSION: Must be stock. Car must be level front to rear and side to side. After market springs permitted.  Springs cannot be chained or clamped down. Springs cannot be left out. No lowering or lifting blocks or adjustable parts. Leaf springs must have the same number of leafs on both sides. No heavy duty suspension parts. Cambering of the right front wheel permitted.

 

STEERING: All components must remain stock. Spindles, control arms must be stock for car used. Aftermarket steering shafts and removable steering wheels permitted. (Removable steering wheel highly recommended). Steering shaft may not exceed 65” length from center of front spring bucket to end of shaft. Steering quickeners are not permitted. Steering wheel must be padded.

 

NUMBERING & COLORS: All cars must be neat in appearance. For participant safety, no black or dark colored cars are permitted. Cars must have legible numbers at least 18" high and 3" wide with no more than two digits. Any team cars must be painted in contrasting style or colors that each car is easily distinguishable one from the other. If a problem exists, then the owner will be required to change the scheme at the request of the officials. If the paint scheme (body, color/number, color/legibility) on any car is too hard to clearly read, then the scheme must be revised to correct the problem. All cars must have a 4" x 4" number plate in clearly visible painted colors located in the upper right hand corner of the windshield area for restart purposes. All cars will comply with this rule.

 

TIRES & WHEELS: No grooving. No winter treads, retreads, cheater slicks, or racing tires of any kind. Must be street radial tires only with DOT markings on them. Maximum tire sizes will be P-235-70 or 75 R 14” or P-235-70 or 75 R 15”. Cars must run same rim size on all four corners or car. No mixing 14” and 15” rim sizes. You may run smaller tire sizes if needed. No reverse rims. No mag or aluminum rims, “steel only”. Wheels are limited to 7” or less in width. All wheels must have same offset. Racing-type or white spoke wheels are permitted and highly recommended. 5/8” studs are highly recommended. 1” wheel nuts mandatory. No 50 or 60 series tires permitted. Minimum 35 PSI all four (4) corners.

 

WEIGHT: Minimum weight will be 3400 track scale pounds. Weight is with driver at the conclusion of each event. "THE TRACK SCALES ARE OFFICIAL". If ballast weight is needed to make weight it must be securely bolted to frame and roll cage tubing in front of the fuel cell. No floor board mounted weight or weight mounted behind drivers head. Ballast weight must be painted white and carry cars number Weight must be attached with minimum 2 ½” grade 5 or greater bolts.

 

ENGINES/RADIATORS: Must remain stock without any modifications and in stock location.  One stock, 2-barrel carburetor. No dual pumpers or predator-style permitted. No fuel injection systems. If needed, a $600 claim rule for complete car may be established for the division at any time. Note: Motor must have a minimum of 17” vacuum at the intake manifold. NOTE: 350 engine blocks ONLY. Cubic inch maximum: 355 GM, 356 Fords, and 367 Chryslers. No strokers or destrokers. All engine parts must have casting or part numbers on them for identification.

 

CYLINDER HEADS: Must be stock for engine used.(Chevy 350 only heads must be 70cc minimum combustion chamber). No 64cc heads on chevy 291-461, 462-492, etc. No vortec heads, or center bolt valve cover heads permitted. No guide plates, only screw in studs allowed on any head. Sand blasting, bead blasting, acid-etching, porting, polishing, gasket matching, and welding are prohibited. No relieving or unshrouding of valves in the combustion chamber. Valve head sizes optional providing they maintain stock OEM positioning in valve guides. Any angle valve job will be permitted as long as it is done on a machine that cuts concentric to valve guide center. There will be no hand grinding, sanding, blending or deburring where a cutter or stone leaves off. NO angle cutting of head surface permitted. Anyone found to be illegal in any way in the cylinder head area will result in complete disqualification.

 

PISTONS: Flat top or dish 3 ring piston only. Cast or forged permitted.

 

CRANKSHAFT: Stock OEM cast or steel ONLY. No light weight cut down or narrow crankshafts.

 

RODS: Stock ONLY. No aftermarket rods permitted.

 

CAMSHAFT: Hydraulic ONLY. Must meet 17 pound vacuum at 1000 rpm. Stock hydraulic lifters only. Must maintain OEM diameters.

 

INTAKE MANIFOLD: Chevy 2 Barrel stock OEM cast iron only. Ford-Chrysler 2-Barrel stock OEM only. Buick-Olds-Pontiac stock OEM 2-Barrel or Quadrajet intake with maximum 1” adapter for 2-Barrel carburetor. No porting, polishing or gasket matching on any intake permitted.

 

CARBURETOR: GM 2-Barrel Rochester only. Chrysler 2-Barrel Carter only. Ford 2-Barrel Holley or Motorcraft only. All carburetors must remain stock. Chock plate may be removed.

 

IGNITION: Stock OEM Distributors and Coils only. With any system used, only 1 Coil will be allowed on car.

 

HEADERS: Not permitted. Exhaust pipe(s) may not exit thru the fenders or fender wells and must extend behind the driver. Emission equipment may be removed.

 

GENERATORS: All cars must have a working generator or alternator. They must be hooked up at all times. Battery must be securely mounted under the hood.

 

FUEL: Racing Fuel Bladder and Container: Gasoline Only. You must have a fuel bladder in a metal container with 4 metal safety straps a minimum of 1/8" x 1" wide and it must be mounted inside the trunk area. The trunk floor must be cut out to accommodate the fuel bladder and container plus allowing a 4" wide margin around the entire fuel bladder and container. This will accomplish two safety goals of permitting the fuel to escape the car in the event of an accident as well as providing a 4" buffer (cushion) around the entire fuel bladder and container in case of a severe rear end collision. The fuel bladder and container mounting brackets must be tied into the main frame with either substantial angle iron or square tubing. The cars must have a complete steel firewall between the driver and the fuel bladder and container. The maximum size permitted is 22 gallons.

 

 

CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL: Stock OEM clutch plate and pressure plate required on all standard transmissions. Must maintain stock weight. No triple disc, ram couplers or light weight clutch assemblies permitted. Automatics must have working stock OEM torque converters. Flywheels cast or steel OEM only. No aluminum. Steel scatter shields or steel scatter proof bell housings permitted and highly recommended.

 

TRANSMISSIONS: Stock only with at least 2 forward gears and 1 reverse gear. (Standard must have an inspection hole in bottom of bell housing.)

 

DRIVELINE: Must be stock and in stock location. Cars must have a 360 safety strap at front of driveshaft. Locked rear ends are permitted. (highly recommended). Rear differentials must be stock for make and model used. Wheel bolt pattern must be same front and rear. Tri-City Speedway highly recommends the use of Moser Axles (260-726-6689) at $257.00 pair with 5/8 studs.

32. REAR END: Optional 8.5” GM 10 bolt rear end may be used from 1970 through 1977. GM only. Top trailing arms may be redrilled up to 3 inches from existing rear hole on 8.5” rear end only. No cutting of mounts on rear end allowed, may cut upper arms only. Pinion angle shall not exceed 5^o.

33. MISC: No mirrors or reflecting devices. No radios.

 

34 Thundercars will run 12-lap features with 5-lap heat races. Feature event laps may increase with car count.

 

35 Any car not passing post-race inspection shall forfeit all prize(s).

 

36. ANYONE FOUND TO BE SPEEDING IN THE PIT AREA WILL BE FINED $25.

 

 

NOTE: All the preceding rules are subject to change. The official(s) in charge reserve the right to make decisions and judge accordingly, with the interest of safety, without recourse. Anything not covered in these rules is up to the discretion of the official(s).

** Any changes in rules from previous year are underlined **

 

MANDATORY SAFETY RULES

1. All cars are subject to inspection at any time and must be free from mechanical defects and be in safe racing condition.

2. Driver’s seat must be securely fastened to frame or cage 3/8" bolts minimum. It is recommended that seats mounted over drivelines have a minimum 1/8" steel plate under and up the back 4" and be as wide as seat.

3. Flame retardant/shock resistant padding must be installed anywhere the driver may come in contact with driver’s head or any other points of contact. (To include the center of the steering wheel.)

4. All cars must have 4 (four) wheel hydraulic brakes, all in good working order. Steel rotors only.

5. Battery must be properly secured and must have top and terminals completely covered by rubber.

6. Fuel lines, power steering lines, and fittings running through driver’s compartment must be of approved type. (Braided lines recommended.) NO CAST IRON FITTINGS.

7. Exhaust headers must be safe for driver and recommended to exit past driver’s seat.

8. All cars must be equipped with 5-point seatbelts to “SF1 16.1 specifications”. All belts must be securely fastened to frame or cage. The sternum shoulder harness is highly recommended. Belts older than 48 months will not be allowed. Damaged belts will also not be allowed.

9. Tri-City Speedway highly recommends all drivers wear a 2000 or newer Snell approved full-face helmet and clean one piece SFI drivers suit, underwear, head sock, gloves, foot socks, and shoes to SFI specification 3.2A & 3.3, arm restraints and neck brace.

 

10. No drums of racing fuel may be brought onto the track premises^.

11. Retention of Vehicles and Parts as per Insurance Requirement:

Participant hereby grants Tri-City Speedway full and unconditional permission to collect and retain vehicles, parts of vehicles, equipment, or any other items used in conjunction with participation that are owned by or in the possession of participant or present at an event (collectively “items”), including such items that may be relevant to the investigation of an accident; the inspection or testing of such items, or for any other purpose Tri-City Speedway may exercise this right to take and retain items at any time when Tri-City Speedway determines in its sole and absolute discretion that such actions are necessary. When an item is suspected of being out of compliance with a Tri-City Speedway rule, or when an item has been involved in an incident, Tri-City Speedway may in its sole and absolute discretion collect and retain such items if Tri-City Speedway believes it necessary to do so to further investigate, make a final determination, and/or preserve evidence, all in Tri-City Speedway’s sole and absolute discretion. At any time that Tri-City Speedway collects and retains items, Tri-City Speedway will try to safeguard such items and return such items when Tri-City Speedway has completed its work with them, but Tri-City Speedway makes no representations or warranties that the items will not be lost, damaged, destructively tested, destroyed, or otherwise affected. The rights granted to Tri-City Speedway in this subsection shall also apply to any Tri-City Speedway track officials.

 

RULE BOOK DISCLAIMER

The rules and/or regulations set forth herein are designed to provide for the orderly conduct of racing events and to establish minimum acceptable requirements for such events. These rules shall govern the condition of all events, and, by participating in these events, all participants are deemed to have complied with these rules. No expressed or implied warranty of safety shall result from the publication of or compliance with these rules and/or regulations. They are intended as a guide for the conduct of the sport and in no way a guarantee against injury or death to a participant, spectator, or official.

 

The race director shall be empowered to permit reasonable and appropriate deviation from any of the specifications herein or impose any further restrictions that in his opinion do not alter the minimum acceptable requirements. No expressed or implied warranty of safety shall results from such alterations of specifications. Any interpretation or deviation of these rules is left to the discretion of the officials. Their decision is final.

 

On occasion when situations arise that are not covered by written rules, special rulings may be put into effect by the track officials. Once such rulings are acted upon, they may become an act of policy and will be added to the existing rules of procedures.

 

The Management of TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY